Clutch.



I. G. VINCENT. CLUTCH.

PPLICATION FlED APR. I5. I9|3I 1,176,796.

Patented Mar. Qt, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET i.

j. G. VINCENT.

CLUTCH. APPLICATION FILED APR. t5. 19:3.

Patented Mar. 28, .1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. G, VINCENT.

CLUTCH.

APPLICAUDN FILED APR.15| l9l3.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES OFFTCE.

JESSE G. VINCENT, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSICNOR T0 PACKARD MGTOR CAR COMPANY, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

CLUTCH.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

Application led April 15, 1913. Serial No. 761,299.

To all 'whom't may concern:

Be it known that I, Jessi-i G. VINCENT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, Wayne county, State of Michigan,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clutches, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates particularly to clutch mechanism for connecting the crank 1 shaft of the motor with the transmission mechanism of a motor vehicle.

The objects of the invention are to simplify the construction of clutches heretofore used for this purpose and to generally improve the same by making the parte more accessible and more easily constructed and assembled.

The features of novelty of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection ,with the ac'- companying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a clutch mechanism embodying the, invention and shown in connection with the crank shaft of the motor and a portion of the transmission mechanism. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1, certain parts being omitted for the purpose of more charly illustrating other parts.

Fig. 3 is a s i ion on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

eferrng to the drawing, 1 0 indicates the upper section of the crank case of a vehicle motor and 11 the bottom section thereof. The rearward end '12 of the crank shaft of the motor is carried in a bearing 13 arranged in the crank case sections 10 and 11 and is provided with a radially extending flange 111, to which is secured a fly wheel 15 by means of suitable bolts 16.

4 Secured to the crank case sections 1() and 11 is a casing 17 for the clutch mechanism, about to be described, and supported on the casing 17 is a housing or frame 18 which supports a shaft 19 and projects above the 45 Hoor 20 of the vehicle. The rearward portion of the casing 17 forms a lensing for the change speed gearing, a portion of which is shown at the lefthand end of Fig. 1. Since the change speed mechanism forms 5 no part of the present invention the same has been omitted from the drawings and therefore will not described. The casing 17 is provided with a partition 21 in which is arranged a radial roller bearing 22 of any suitable construction and pef'erablv adapted to take rearward thrust, A clutch shaft 23 is supported in the bearing 22 and a radial ball or roller bearing 24 arranged in a suitable recess in the end of the crank shaft 12. The rearward end of theclutch 6e shaft 23 is formed with an enlargement 25 having the gear teeth QG cut thereon and constituting one of the gears of the change speed mechanism. The shaft 23 is provided with a` central recess 2T extending anialtj, Se from the-rearward Vend thereof and in which is arranged a roller bearing 28 which carries the iin-ward. and of thc transmission shaft 2f), the bearing 2S being substantially in line 'with the bearing 22, whereby the radial 7e forces in the shaft *29 are transmitted to the partition 21.

The ily wheel 15 has secured thereto by means of suitable bolts 30 the casing 31. which carries the annular clutch disks 32 of 115 the usual construction. The disks rotate with the casing 31 and are alternately arranged with respect to the disks which are carried by a spider 34. The spider 3i has its hub 3.5 arranged on the squared por tion 36 of the shaft 23 and is held in position on the shaft by means of the shoulder 37 and the nut the latter having threaded engagement with the end portion of the shaft. i5

The inner ring 39 of the bearing 22 is held between a shoulder 40 on the shaft 22 and a collar or sleeve di.YU A sleeve 49 has its forward end in sliding engagement with the hub 35 of the spider 34: and its rearward "im end arrangedaon the sleeve 41 and incloses a helical spring 43, one end of which engages the collar 41 and the other end of which engages the forward end wall of the sleeve 42. The rcarmost clutch disk has 9 secured thereto the plate 44, this plate having a central flange 45 arranged on the ex terior of the sleeve 42 which is held between a flange 4G on said sleeve and the shifter collar 47. The shifter collar 47 is arranged on a cylindrical portion of thesleeve 42 and is held thereon by the nuts 48 which have threaded engagement with the exterior of the sleeve. Surrounding the shifter collar 47 is a ring 4t) provided with the usual trunnions 50 and having arranged hetn'ren it and the shifter collar the usualgthrust bearing 51. A yoke 52 carried on a suitable shaft or pivot having bearings '33 and 5lin the casing 17 is provided with arms 55 lr-'J which engage the trunnions 50 so that when the yoke is rocked on its pivot it is adapted to more the sleeve 42 back and forth relative to the clutch shaft 23. Any suitable mechanism for rocking the yoke 52 may be provided and in the drawings I have indicated an arm 5G which is connected with an arm 57 of the pedal lever 5S, by means of an adjustable link 59. The pedal lever 58 is pivoted on a stud shaft 60 which is carried by the casing 17.

The shaft 19 has arranged thereon a lever 6l which extends vertically through the housing 18 and is connected with a rod 62 for the purpose of shifting the change speed gears. This mechanism, however, forms no part of the present invention.

The clutch members are normally held in engagement for the p/urpose of transmitting power from the crank shaft 12 to the clutch shaft 23, by means of the spring 43. The rearward thrust of this spring is taken on the shoulder 40 through the inner ring 39' and the sleeve 41, and the forward thrust is taken through the disks 32 and 33 and the spider 34 to the nut 38. It will be understood, therefore, that the opposite` end thrusts of the spring 43, when the clutch is engaged are transmitted to the shaft 23 and thus neutralize each other. However, when the clutch is disengaged, by moving the sleeve 12 rearwardly to compress the spring 43, the resulting rearward thrust is transmitted to the partition 2l of the clutch casing through `the bearing 22. This bearing :222, however, is not adapted to take forward thrust which might be transferred to the clutch shaft by the operator pulling up on the pedal lever 58 to more lirmly enga e the clutch, and AI have therefore provi ed a thrust bearing at the forward end of the match shaft, this bearing consistin of a hardened steel button or ivot 63, which engages a plunger 64 slide ly arranged in a i tubular member 65, this member being secured in the end of the crank shaft 12. A sinring is arranged in the tub ar member 6:3 and engages the plunge 64 and presses the same rearwardly against the button 63 with suilicient pressure to counteract the forward thrust on the clutch parts. B using the spring 66 in connection with this thrust bearing, the clutch shaft 23 is consantly pressed toward the rear, to thereby keep a slight end pressure on the bearing 22 at all times, so that the clutch will not shuck back and forth between its beari s.

lt will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes in the minor details of the invention may be made within the scopo the claims and. therefore I do not wish t.. la: limited 'to the exact details shown and .'lesribcd.

Having i' described 'the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. In a motor vehicle, the combination with the motor crank shaft, a clutch shaft having a bearing for one end thereof in said crank shaft, a bearing for the other end of the clutch shaft adapted to take radial thrust 70 and axial thrust m one direction, clutch members adapted to form a driving connection between the crank and clutch shafts, and spring-pressed means co-acting with the crank and clutch shaft and adapted to cooperate with said second-mentioned bearin to hold the clutch shaft against axial movement.

2. In a motor vehicle `the combination with the motor` crank sha of a clutch shaft alined therewith, clutch members adapted to form a driving connection between the crank and clutch shafts, one of said clutch members being secured on oneend of the clutch shaft and havin a hub, a collar arranged on the opposite end of the clutch shaft, and a. tubular actuating member for the clutch having engagement with said hub and Sad" collar and slidablev axially thereon.

3. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a driving shaft, a clutch shaft, a clutch spider secured on the clutch shaft and haw` ing a hub, clutch disks adapted to form a driving connection between the driving shaft and said s ider, a collar arranged on the clutch sha t, an axially movable tubular member having its ends engaging said collar and said hub, means connecting said tubular member with said clutch disks whereby the latter are operated by the movements of said member, and a sprin arranged within said tubular member and a apted to normally hold said disks in grippin enga ement.

4. n a motor vehicle, t e com ination of a driven shaft, a clutch shaft, friction members adapted to form a driving connection between the driving and clutch shafts, and means for operating the friction members y comprising an axially movable tubular member surroundin the clutch shaft, op oecd 1.10 abutments on t e exterior of said tu ular member and one of which is removable, a

late adapted to connect said tubular membei' withsaid clutch members for actuating the'l latter and having a. hub arranged Je* 115 tween said abutments andprevented from moving` axially on said tubular member by the abutments, and means for moving said tubular member.

5. In a motor vehicle, the combination of 12 a driving shaft, a clutch shaft having an angular portion, a clutch spider having o. hu fitting said an ular portion, clutch members adapted to orm a driving connection between the driving shaft and said spider,'125 a nut engaging one end of the hub of said spider and ada ted to secure the spider to the clutch sha t, and means for operating the clutch members.

6. in a motor vehicle, the combination of l a driving shaft, a clutch shaft having fa cylindrical portion and e squared portion smaller than the cylindrical portion and adjacent thereto whereby a shoulder is formed on said shaft, a. spider having a hub arraned on the squared portion 'of the clutch sha t, a nut on the clutchvshaft adapted to coperate with saidshoulder to hold the spider in position, clutch members adapted to form a driving connection between the 1o driving shaft and the spider, and means for operating the clutch members. i

In testunon whereof I aiix my signature in presence o two witnesses.

JESSE G. VINCENT. Witnesses:

Mino L. BAILEY, LE R01 J. WILLIAMS.

nrmjmA 3 a driving shaft, a clutch shaft having a cylindrical portion and jacent thereto whereby a shoulder is formed l on said shaft, a. spider having a hub arran ed on the squared portion 'of the clutch in Letters -Pfalfterit li ,1 76579@ a squared portion smaller than the cylindrical portion and ad' to form a driving connection between the4 "10 I driving shaft and the spider, and means for operatlng the clutch members. In testlrnon whereof I aix my signature in presence o two witnesses.

. JESSE G. VINCENT. Witnesses:

Mmo L. BAILEY,

LE RoIJ. WILLIAMS..

y IItis hereby Het inite'srs Patent..Noli1, `i76;7Q6,fgrtd Mar'h'if -191'6-,111pori the ,gepplioetioriglof JesseG; :Vincent ofl-ubsetroit,Michigon? improvement-5in Chitehesffn error eppearsinthe printen. s-oeeieation .-ingfcorrection as follows: Pego 2, linf' 1015'Je1ai`m 4, for the. word I arid' that-the seid Letters Patent shoiildlbeireefi 5this..eo'I'Iediionl therein tiiat the @me may conform to the' lr.e,coI1 I-of .th-cese in the Potent' Correction in Letters Patent No. t.176,796.

It is hereby crtied that in Letters Patent No. 1,176,796, gran-ted March 25'3,`

1916, upon the application 1of Josso G. Vincent. nf Detroit, Michigan, for an improvement, inl C1utohes, an error appears in the printedA s'peciicuton muil` t ing corroction as follows: Page 2, lino 105, claim 4, for the word driven rond:

d/vi-ng; and that ,the sid Letters Patent honld be renti Iwithths oorroction therein that th :mme may conform to the record of thoase in the Patent Oflioo.

Signed and sealed this 18th day of April, A.D., 191i?. t

fR. F. -WHxfmHEAn 

